4. 1909-11 W600 Sporting Life Cabinets Honus Wagner (HOF - Uniform) - SGC PR 1 Along with the T3 Turkey Red and M110 Sporting Life issues of the same era, the W600 Sporting Life was a cabinet-style issue that featured a player illustration set atop a cardboard backing, similar to the cabinet photos that were popular in the era. The W600 issue consisted of more than 600 cards sold by Sporting Life magazine for ten cents each (or given away for six cents in postage plus a coupon issued in the paper) and are very rare and desirable among prewar card collectors today, seldom found in high grade. Presented here is a key card in the issue, the “in uniform” card of the great Honus Wagner. One of fewer than 18 graded examples, this Type 4 variety presents extraordinarily well but has been graded POOR 10 by SGC due largely to a notch in the cardboard border at the top right, as well as a pinhole along the right edge. Additionally some light and neat writing along the top of the reverse documents The Flying Dutchman’s Hall of Fame election, as well as his birth and death. Despite the grade, the card is in outstanding overall condition with very little additional wear, and most importantly, a clean image marred only by some minor staining of very little consequence. On the rare occasions that a W600 Wagner becomes available for public sale a $50,000 price tag for a middle-grade example is common. Despite the few condition issues, the classic Horner image of Wagner is largely untouched, the borders and “mount” largely clean and quite attractive. Most collectors of cabinet cards understand that the purpose of the cardboard mount is to protect the image contained inside it and are more than willing to accept a damaged mount that holds a clean image; such is the case with this wonderful example. A very appealing example of one of Wagner’s most rare cards, a key card from one of the highest- quality card sets of its era. MINIMUM BID: $4,000
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